


If I Fall

by CatheRinRin



Category: American Idol RPF, IM5 (Band)
Genre: 2016, Boys In Love, First Love, Fluff and Angst, Getting Back Together, Kissing, M/M, Post IM5, Post-Idol, Rare Pairings, Self-Love, self-care
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-16
Updated: 2016-12-16
Packaged: 2018-09-08 21:56:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8864353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatheRinRin/pseuds/CatheRinRin
Summary: Will furrowed his brows in confusion, a small smile still gracing his features as he looked up at Dalton. And Dalton felt like he was 16 again, young and naïve and head over heels in California in a brave new world he wasn’t quite prepared for; his heart skipping a beat and his pale cheeks flushing as his best friend gives him a questioning smile as he tries to explain these new and scary feelings that he’s not even quite sure meant yet. But they were both older now.-Will Jay/Dalton Rapattoni. Made this because I love these two and there is literally nothing for them. Hope you enjoy-





	

It was as he watched Will stack his sheet music neatly in his folder after their writing session, so meticulously and precisely, the calm, content smile on his face he always seemed to get after they worked on new music, and Dalton couldn’t hold it back anymore.  
  
“Do you ever think about it?”

The words were blurted out carelessly, spilling out from Dalton’s mouth before he even could think about how he was possibly bringing up old wounds. Dalton was all awkward movements and brash emotions, feeling first and unplanned steps. He was so different from Will. Will was careful, graceful, exact… when Will did something, it was because he planned it out. He was a happy and proud smile, and gentle laugh, a comforting friend.  
  
They had always been different.

Will furrowed his brows in confusion, a small smile still gracing his features as he looked up at Dalton. And Dalton felt like he was 16 again, young and naïve and head over heels in California in a brave new world he wasn’t quite prepared for; his heart skipping a beat and his pale cheeks flushing as his best friend gives him a questioning smile as he tries to explain these new and scary feelings that he’s not even quite sure meant yet.

But they were both older now. So much had happened since then. And Dalton remembered how low he got, remembered that even with Will holding on tight, he couldn’t drag him out of the dark pit he was in. That Dalton was the one who walked away from their group first, from California. From him.  
  
Years later, and the fog was still a little hazy for Dalton sometimes. But he was in such a better place now, and it was clearer than it had ever been before. And when Will came back into his life, it was like he had never left. Their friendship picked up right back where it was, and they made sure to get together every now and then for jam sessions and hangouts and to catch up. They were supportive of one another, of their aspiring solo careers.  
  
And Dalton knew that they had just been reckless teenagers, figuring themselves out in a strange world. That what they had together was nothing more than the young, naïve infatuation that teenagers call love in a desperate attempt to figure out why the hell they were even put on this earth for.

Will gave Dalton a gentle smile, not moving from where he stood behind the keyboard. “Ever think about what, Dalt?”  
  
Dalton felt himself choking on air. But he couldn’t let this chance to voice the question that had been on his mind for _months_ now escape him. His voice was weak and he felt his vocal chords scratch against his throat. But he had to, he _had_ to know.

“About us.”

Will’s careful expressions were replaced with one of surprise, as if he never thought Dalton would ever ask about this in a million years. He watched the flurry of emotions run over Will’s features as he set down his music and close his eyes with a heavy sigh. It felt like an eternity of waiting, and Dalton’s heart was pounding out of his chest like it did so long ago. But they weren’t 16 and this wasn’t something new and Dalton wasn’t naïve enough to believe anymore that young love could last.

When Will’s deep, brown eyes looked into his, Dalton felt like Will was letting him finally look past his careful façade. That Will was finally being honest with him, for the first time in a long time.

“Every day.”

Dalton didn’t know it could only take hearing those two words to feel like his heart was broken all over again. Heartbreak poured out of those three syllables, like Will was letting a floodgate open after years of it being shut closed. Will was too far away from Dalton as long as he stood at his keyboard across the room. But Dalton felt as if he was frozen, as if everything including himself had stopped, and he realized: all this time, Will was hurting too.

His eyes began to burn and he blinked rapidly, refusing to let himself cry at this moment. A nervous laugh finally broke through Dalton’s lips as he tore his eyes from Will and stared at the soundproof ceiling above him, “God I’m such an idiot.”

He could hear Will walking towards him, but he didn’t want to look at him. He felt ashamed, knowing that he was the one who walked away, that he was the reason their story had ended like many high school romances do.

“You’re not an idiot for taking care of yourself, Dalton.”

Dalton’s eyes threatened to gloss over as he looked at Will, now only a foot away, and bit his lip. “I’m an idiot for leaving you.”

His voice was shaking as Will seemed deep in thought, and it felt like he was searching for the right words to say in Dalton’s eyes, as if they held all the answers in the world. And it had been so long since Will had looked at him with such open honesty. It reminded him of countless sleepovers and cheesy duets sung together as they cuddled a little too close under the blanket fort they made. It was cocoa and junk food they shouldn’t be eating and sneaking between dance breaks for a quick make out session in the janitor’s closet.  
  
It was Will fighting back tears as Dalton got on a plane back home to Dallas.

Will slowly rose his hand to gently caress Dalton’s cheek, almost as if he was asking permission. Dalton felt he should know he never needed to ask.  Will’s thumb rubbed gently across his cheekbone, and Dalton realized he was wiping away his tears.

His voice was certain, Will always knowing how to express exactly what he meant.

“ _Never_ feel bad for leaving when you need to take a step back so you don’t fall off the edge.”

Dalton’s eyes squeezed shut and he dove forward, wrapping his arms around Will’s waist and burying his face into his broad chest. Instantly Dalton was covered in Will’s embrace, both of them now squeezing so tightly as if they were afraid to let go. They rocked slowly back and forth in that soundproof room, blocking out the rest of the world and Dalton knew he was crying, but for some reason he didn’t feel the need to hide it anymore. Not when Will was _here_ , rubbing loving circles between his shoulder blades with the pad of his thumb like he used to. Not when Will was holding onto him like he would never let go.

Dalton only needed to lift his head up and tilt his chin forward slightly before he was able to grab a fistful of Will’s shirt and crash their lips together, kissing him for the first time in what felt like ages. He had almost forgotten how it felt, to feel Will’s perfect lips slide against his own and the sweet taste of his favorite lip balm and his smooth kisses over and over again. It was like they were making up for lost time, Will placing soft and deep pecks over and over again and Dalton responding in kind as Will’s hand made its way to cradle the back of his head as he brought him in for one last, slow kiss before pulling back to stare into his eyes. They took a moment to breathe, and Dalton felt himself going cross-eyed from the close proximity. But he didn’t care, because Will was looking at him like he did when they were teens, young and in love and not thinking about how beyond their little bubble they created for themselves, this would never work.  

After what seemed like an eternity, Dalton finally spoke, his voice barely a whisper. “If I fall off the edge… catch me.”

Will leaned in once more, capturing Dalton’s lips, this time almost agonizingly slow.

Once Will finally let go of Dalton’s lower lip, teasing it for just a brief second between his teeth, he pulled back to give him his answer.

“Always.”  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think! I hope you guys love these two as much as I do <3


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